Vibratory game

ABSTRACT

A competitive action game having a rectangular frame providing a playing surface defined by a stiffly resilient sheet member supported at its perimeter on the frame and over which a plurality of playing pieces move in response to vibration of the sheet member. The vibration of the sheet member is achieved by the use of a vibratory motor, or the like. An alternate means for vibrating the sheet member comprises a plurality of rotatable shafts which extend below the sheet member at generally right angles to the sides of the frame and are located at approximately the mid-points of the sides. The shafts are manually rotatable by handles on the ends of the shafts on the outside of the frame. The shafts have wheels secured thereto with toothed peripheries beneath the sheet member for contact with projections depending from the underside of the sheet member, whereby the vibrations are introduced into areas of the sheet member upon individual rotation of the shafts. The game apparatus also is provided with a plurality of push-button levers supported at the perimeter of the resilient sheet. The levers have pins protruding through the playing surface for movement relative thereto to permit the players to upset their opponent&#39;&#39;s playing pieces moving over the playing surface.

[ 1 Oct. 15,1974

[ VIBRATORY GAME Inventor: Burton C. Meyer, Downers Grove,

Ill.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 419,960

[52] US. Cl 273/110, 273/129, 46/1 C [51] Int. Cl. A631 9/00 [58] Fieldof Search 46/1 C; 273/1 R, 1 E, 1 M,

273/ C, 85 E, 86 E, 108, 109, 110, 94 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 425,575 4/1890 Lott 273/1151,203,474 10/1916 Brenner 273/86 E 390,026 2/1924 Germany 273/108Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Assistant Examiner-Harry G. StrappelloAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Coffee & Sweeney [57] ABSTRACT A competitiveaction game having a rectangular frame providing a playing surfacedefined by a stiffly resilient sheet member supported at its perimeteron the frame and over which a plurality of playing pieces move inresponse to vibration of the sheet member. The vibration of the sheetmember is achieved by the use of a vibratory motor, or the like. Analternate means for vibrating the sheet member comprises a plurality ofrotatable shafts which extend below the sheet member at generally rightangles to the sides of the frame and are located at approximately themid-points of the sides. The shafts are manually rotatable by handles onthe ends of the shafts on the outside of the frame. The shafts havewheels secured thereto with toothed peripheries beneath the sheet memberfor contact with projections depending from the underside of the sheetmember, whereby the vibrations are introduced into areas of the sheetmember upon individual rotation of the shafts. The game apparatus alsois provided with a plurality of push-button levers supported at theperimeter of the resilient sheet. The levers have pins protrudingthrough the playing surface for movement relative thereto to permit theplayers to upset their opponents playing pieces moving over the playingsurface.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEnum 1 sum SHEET 2 OF 2 BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generallyto games, and in particular to vibratory games in which game pieces aremade to move over a playing surface in response to vibration of theplaying surface.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Games have been provided in whicha relatively stiff resilient sheet member is supported at its perimeterand defines a playing surface which is vibrated, generally perpendicularto such surface, so as to move game pieces over the playing surface. Inexisting games of the character described, the vibration of the playingsurface is effected by electrically energized means, and usually is thesole play determining element of the game, wherein the playing piecesare simply moved over the playing surface until a particular event takesplace, without interference by the players. Games also have beenprovided wherein the vibration of the playing surface is effectuated bya manual means which provides a new element in that the players canincrease or decrease the frequency of the vibrations, causing theplaying pieces to move faster or slower, but again with no directinterference with the playing pieces. This invention is designed toprovide a new and improved vibratory game of the character described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The competitive action game of the presentinvention has a relatively stiff resilient sheet member, for example ofsheet metal or plastic, supported at its perimeter and defining-aplaying surface on the top thereof. A plurality of game pieces aremovable over the playing surface in response to vibration of the sheetmember.

The game apparatus includes, in one embodiment, an

of the projections with the toothed periphery of the wheels.

It is an object of this invention to provide a game of the describedcharacter wherein new elements of skill are provided, thus increasingthe competitiveness and enjoyment of the players. A plurality of levermembers are provided whereby opposing players may interfere with andupset the opponents playing pieces, the object being to have one'splaying piece the last upright playing piecewhen all others have beenupset.

The sheet member is provided with a wall around the perimeter thereofformed of joined annular sections providing guiding and directing wallswhich prevent the playing pieces from stopping in a corner of theplaying surface as occasionally happens with previously known games ofthis type.

7 Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent when viewed in light of the specification and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gameapparatus embodying the concepts of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmented top plan view of the game apparatus of FIG. 1, onan enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front-to-rear sectional view of one of the playing piecesshown in FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a game apparatus of an alternativeembodiment, with parts broken away;

FIG. 6 is a fragmented vertical section taken generally along the line66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vibratory motor of the alternateembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIGS. 1-4, the vibratory game, generally designated10, includes a playing surface defined by a stiffly resilient sheetmember 12 mounted on a raised frame, generally designated 14. The sheetmember 12 has four holes 16 angularly spaced generally equidistantaround the midpoint of the playing surface 12. The perimeter of theplaying surface is defined by a generally four-leaf clover shaped wall18 which is integrally formed as part of the frame 14. Base flats 20 ofthe frame support the game apparatus on a table top or the like.

The frame 14 also is provided with a plurality of support ribs 14abeneath the sheet member 12, extending inwardly from each apex of thewall 18, a continuous inwardly extending horizontal support flange 14bformed at the bottom of the wall 18, and a centrally located cylindricalhub 14c connecting the innermost portions of the support ribs 14a, asbest seen in FIG. 2. The ribs 14a, flange 14b and the hub 14c supportthe sheet member 12 which defines the playing surface and preferably areunitarily molded with the frame 14 and the walls 18 of plastic or othersuitable material.

The game apparatus is provided with a plurality of game pieces,generally designated 22 (FIG. 4) which may be molded of plastic or othersuitable material, with a shell-like housing 23. Each game piece isprovided with an interior base 24 on the underside thereof havingresilient filaments or slender prongs 26 depending from the base toengage the playing surface 12 at their lower ends. The filaments orprongs 26 are inclined or oblique to the playing surface so as todetermine the direction of movement of the playing pieces. As shown, theplaying pieces simulate vehicles and the filaments or prongs are slantedrearwardly so as to move the vehicles forwardly in response to vibrationof the playing surface 12, as the game pieces move over the playingsurface.

The desired vibrations of the sheet member 12 for effecting movement ofthe game pieces 22 are generated by means of a plurality of shafts 28disposed below the playing surface 12. The shafts have opposite endportions journalled in bearing apertures 30 and 32 carried by the frame14. Apertures 30 are disposed in flanges 31 depending from the undersideof the frame, and apertures 32 are formed in the sides of the frame 14.The outer end portions of the shafts 28 are provided with cranks 34carrying handles 36 by which the shafts 28 can be conveniently manuallyrotated. Each shaft 28 also is preferably supported at approximately itsmidpoint by an aperture in an addition flange 37 depending from theunderside of the support ribs 14a of the frame 14.

A wheel 38 having a toothed periphery, for example, in the form of agear wheel, is secured on the inner end of each shaft 28 for rotationtherewith. The toothed periphery 40 of each wheel 38 is in contact witha projection 42 directed downwardly from the support ribs 14a (FIG. 3).Thus, upon rotation-of the shafts 28, the engagement of the projections42 with the toothed peripheries of the wheels 38 causes vibration of thesupport ribs 14a, which vibrations are transferred to the playingsurface 12. A lever 44 is located adjacent each shaft 28. Each lever ispivotally mounted by means of a pin 52 between two support tabs 46carried on the underside of the frame 14. On the outer end of each lever44 is located a depressor tab 54 for use in manually actuating the lever44 by pressing down on the tab 54 in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 3).The inner end of each lever 44 is angled laterally (see FIG. 2) suchthat a pin 56 formed on the inner tip of the lever 44 is located on therotational axis of the adjacent shaft 28. Each pin 56 protrudes upwardlythrough one of the holes 16 in the playing surface 12 when the lever 44is actuated. If a playing piece 26 is located above the hole, a playercan interfere with the playing piece in an attempt to turn that playingpiece over to disengage the prongs 26 on the underside thereof from theplaying surface 12.

It will be apparent that the speed at which the shafts 28 are rotatedwill determine the speed of the playing piece 22 caused by the resultingincreased vibrations. Each player can lessen or intensify the frequencyof vibration on the playing surface 12 in the immediate area surroundinghis respective wheel 38 and projection 42 at the end of the shaft 28.The fact that the shaft 28 is manually rotated and thus can be driven bya relatively large force makes it possible to provide vibrations ofrelatively large amplitude which are determined by the size and/orconfiguration of the teeth on the periphery of the wheel 38. Further, itis apparent that each player using a combination of vibrations set up byhis particular shaft and toothed wheel 38., in combination with the useof his lever 44, may guide other players playing pieces into the areathe hole 16 through which the pin 56' on the end of this lever 44emerges and upsets the playing pieces.

The curvature of the walls 18 is designed to direct the movement of theplaying pieces 22, when in contact the wall 18, back toward the centerof the playing surface 12 toward the holes 16. Thus, the action or playof the game is not interrupted by playing pieces which could becomestuck" in the corners of a rectangular or square playing surface.

In the alternate embodiment of the invention (FIGS. -7), an alternativemethod is illustrated for vibrating the playing surface. In thisembodiment, most of the elements are identical to those used in theprevious embodiment, and therefor the same numbers as used previouslywill be used again when identifying similar elements.

In this embodiment an electrically vibrating source, generallydesignated 70, is used to impart vibrations into the playing surface 12.More particularly, an electric motor 72 is mounted in a casing 74 whichis molded integrally with the hub Me of the frame 14. A relatively heavydisc 76 is secured to the end of the motor shaft 78, with the shaft 78being off-set or eccentric with respect to the center of the disc 76.Thus, when the motor 72 is energized, the rotation of the disc 76 willcause the motor and thus the hub 140 to vibrate. The motor is connectedby a conductive wire 80 to one side of a switch 82 which is mounted onthe frame 14 by two rivets 84. The motor is connected by a conductivewire 86 to one end of a battery and contact frame 88. An additionalconductive wire 90 connects the opposite end of the battery frame 88with the opposite side of switch 82. The battery frame 88 is mounted onthe frame 14 beneath the playing surface 12 and is formed of metal orother flexible material which will hold a battery 92 and establishcontacts therefor. A button 94 on the switch 82 extends through anopening in the frame 14 such that it may be conveniently switched on andoff.

With this embodiment, the rotating shafts 28 are not necessary andtherefor the levers 44 are positioned at the mid-points of the sides ofthe frame 14. Therefore, the levers 44 do not have to be laterallyangled since the holes 16 are directly opposite the mid-points of thesides of the frame 14.

Although the illustrated embodiments have been described in detailherein with reference to the drawings, it is understood that theinvention is not limited to a precise embodiment, in that variouschanges and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in theart without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention asdescribed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus, comprising:

a support frame;

a relatively stiff, resilient sheet member supported by the framedefining a playing surface;

vibratory means associated with the playing surface for impartingvibrations thereto;

a plurality of playing pieces at least one for each player of the gameand adapted for movement over said playing surface in response to thevibrations imparted thereto; and

a plurality of individually operable upsetting devices mounted on thesupport frame for operation by players of the game and movable intopositions relative to said playing surface for upsetting an opposingplayers playing piece as it moves over the playing surface.

2. The device of claim I wherein said upsetting devices each include anupwardly projecting pin which is 4 selectively movable through aperturesin the playing surface providing means for upsetting the playing pieces.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said vibratory means includes aplurality of individually manually operable devices for individualplayers of the game for imparting vibrations to selected areas of theplaying surface, so that different frequencies and amplitudes ofvibration may be imparted to different areas of the playing surface tofacilitate determining the direction and speed of movement of theplaying pieces by players of the game.

includes a plurality of downwardly projecting detents in contact withthe toothed peripheries of the wheels.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the shafts each have an end portionprojecting outwardly beyond the frame with a handle thereon by which theshafts can be manually rotated.

1. A game apparatus, comprising: a support frame; a relatively stiff,resilient sheet member supported by the frame defining a playingsurface; vibratory means associated with the playing surface forimparting vibrations thereto; a plurality of playing pieces at least onefor each player of the game and adapted for movement over said playingsurface in response to the vibrations imparted thereto; and a pluralityof individually operable upsetting devices mounted on the support framefor operation by players of the game and movable into positions relativeto said playing surface for upsetting an opposing player''s playingpiece as it moves over the playing surface.
 2. The device of claim 1wherein said upsetting devices each include an upwardly projecting pinwhich is selectively movable through apertures in the playing surfaceproviding means for upsetting the playing pieces.
 3. The device of claim1 wherein said vibratory means includes a plurality of individuallymanually operable devices for individual players of the game forimparting vibrations to selected areas of the playing surface, so thatdifferent frequencies and amplitudes of vibration may be imparted todifferent areas of the playing surface to facilitate determining thedirection and speed of movement of the playing pieces by players of thegame.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said vibratory means includes aplurality of manually rotatable shafts mounted on the support framebelow the playing surface and a wheel having a toothed periphery inoperative association with the bottom of the playing surface forimparting vibrations to the playing surface.
 5. The device of claim 4wherein the playing surface includes a plurality of downwardlyprojecting detents in contact with the toothed peripheries of thewheels.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein the shafts each have an endportion projecting outwardly beyond the frame with a handle thereon bywhich the shafts can be manually rotated.